Admissions Policy

Please read through our admissions policy below and read our Parent and Child Data Privacy Notice here before applying. You can find the link to our application form at the bottom of this policy.

Applications

Applications are welcomed from staff, students and members of our community. We recommend that you apply for a place as soon as possible especially if you are expecting a child or your child is aged less than 18 months. Both full and part week places are available which allows children to attend for the full day, morning or afternoon session.

Your application form (staff/student or community user) should be completed online.

Please ensure you have completed all sections of the application form. Submitting an application form is confirmation that you agree to the terms and conditions of this Admissions Policy.

A £25.00 non-refundable registration fee is required to register your application to be considered for a nursery place. The registration fee is non-refundable.

Applications should be received at least two full calendar months before your child’s preferred start date.

All applications are placed on the ‘Reservation List’ and are considered on a rolling month to month basis taking into account applicants preferred start dates, age of child, attendance patterns and space being available in the relevant rooms. When considering a place for a very young child we need to calculate space availability for the full 3 to 4 years they may stay with us. For this reason, applications are not considered on a ‘first come first served’ basis.

Northumbria Nursery aims to support children and families of children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), working closely with external agencies and professionals within the Newcastle Local Authority. If your child has a SEND you are invited to meet with the nursery manager to discuss their individual needs before you submit an application. We would discuss with you what support and/or resources would be needed to enable your child to use the nursery and wherever practical we would consider making those adaptations or necessary changes.

Allocations

If a nursery place is available, it will be allocated to you with an expected start date taking into account the child’s age and places available in the relevant nursery rooms. Please note that the start date may be earlier or later than requested.

The place allocated will be an established regular pattern of attendance for your Nursery Contract and for calculation of your nursery fees.

If we have a place for your child you will be informed by letter by the notification deadlines explained on the application form. To secure your nursery place you will be required to complete and return an acceptance form together with nursery place £100 deposit, which is returned to you when your child leaves nursery.

If we do not receive your acceptance form and nursery place deposit by the due deadline, we will assume you no longer require the nursery place and your offer will be withdrawn.

After we have received your completed acceptance form and £100 deposit, and before your child’s start date, you will receive your nursery contract, payment details and an invitation to visit the nursery to arrange settling in visits for your child.

We require I.D. verification of both parent and child when a child enrols into Nursery. Parents are requested to bring their passport/driving licence and their child’s birth certificate at the first settling in visit. Copies will be made and placed in the Child’s File.

The maximum period permitted to defer your child’s starting date after you have returned your agreement and deposit is no more than four weeks later than your child’s original starting date. We require at least one full calendar month notice from you before your deferred place can be agreed.

Nursery deposits paid are non-refundable in the event you fail to take up the place offered, or you withdraw your child and fees are still outstanding.

Opening Hours and Session Times

Full Day: 7.45 to 6.15pm

Morning: 7.45 am to 1.00pm

Afternoon: 1.00pm to 6.15pm

Children should be collected from nursery no later than 6.10pm (full day) or by 12.55pm (morning session)

The nursery is closed during; the University Christmas closure period, 2.5 days per year for staff training and development and at 5pm for quarterly staff meetings. A calendar of nursery events and closures will be sent out with your contract.

Fees

Nursery fees are based on a 50-week year which is then divided into 12 equal monthly payments from 1st August to 31st July. Where a Bank Holiday, University Holiday, Staff Training Day falls on a day which your child would normally attend nursery you are charged for attendance.

There is no reimbursement of fees in the event a child is unable to attend e.g. illness, holidays, unforeseen events or any other reason.

No refunds are made if the nursery has to close for reasons beyond its control e.g. power failures, weather conditions, building disruptions.

Fees are collected monthly by direct debit or direct from your salary on the on the 25th of each month following your child’s start date. We are unable to arrange for fees to be collected at the very end of the calendar month.

Space is sometimes available in your child’s room should you need to book extra additional, temporary and casual days’ day in nursery for your child. Please enquire at Nursery Reception if we have space on the day/s you need. Additional sessions at the nursery for your child will be charged at your current fee rate and additional session fees are payable by vouchers or debit card in advance of the day you have booked. We are unable to add the additional session fee to your monthly invoice.

If there are any changes to your circumstances, you should inform us as soon as possible. Non-Payment of Nursery Fees may result in your child’s place being terminated at the end of that same month in which fees are owed.

The nursery fee structure is reviewed annually and is subject to increase from 1st August each year. New invoices are issued every year before the end of July for the following invoicing period; 1st August to 31st July.

Attendance

Nursery places are allocated on a full year contract only; we are unable to allocate part year places and your nursery place is contracted for an established regular pattern of attendance.

You may request a change in your child’s pattern of attendance by emailing nursery@northumbria.ac.uk giving one whole calendar months’ notice i.e.

One whole calendar month notice given 10th Feb would give you a ‘whole calendar month notice for the month of March’ therefore changes would be considered to take effect from 1st April.

Requests to change attendance will always be considered, however changes may not be possible due to availability of space and future planned occupancy.

We are unable to change attendance patterns mid-month.

If your child will not be attending Nursery due to extended overseas visits/extended holiday/pregnancy leave etc. we are not able to reduce their attendance to retain their Nursery place for when they return due to the high volume of applications waiting for a place.

More than one change requested and confirmed per term (1st Sept to 31st Dec, 1st Jan to 30th April, and 1st May to 31st August) will be subject to a £10 admin fee. Children receiving Government Funded Hours may request a change of attendance during the funded period, however, an increase in attenance may not attarct an increase in funding due to Local Authority regulations and deadlines.

Part-time children are unable to swap days of attendance due being able to attend on their contracted day of attendance due to illness, holidays, unforeseen events etc.

Government Funded Nursery Hours and Additional Funded Nursery Hours

All 3 and 4-year-olds in England are entitled to maximum of 570 hours of free early education or childcare hours per year.

From September 2017, some 3 and 4-year-olds of working parents will be eligible for the extended offer of government-funded early education and childcare for up 1140 hours per year (also known as 30 hours)

2-year-olds

Some 2-year-olds in England can also get free early education and childcare hours depending upon eligibility.

Find out how we deliver the Funded Hours and Additional Funded Hours here

Leaving Nursery

For children aged 3 months to 3 years, at least one full calendar month of notice in writing or one full calendar month of fees in lieu must be given to withdraw your child from the nursery.

For children over the age of 3 years, three full calendar months of notice in writing or three full calendar months of fees in lieu must be given to withdraw your child.

Notice of withdrawal must expire at the end of the calendar month e.g. one whole calendar month notice given 10th Feb would give you ‘one whole calendar month notice for the month of March’ and your child’s last day would be last day in March. Three months’ calendar notice given 10th Feb would give you ‘three whole months’ calendar notice for March, April & May and your child’s last day would be last day in May.

Once you have given notice to withdraw your child from nursery, it is not possible to reduce or change their pattern of attendance for the notice period.

Due to the high volume of ‘Reservation List’ applications we are not able to consider an application for a child who has been withdrawn from nursery to re-start nursery within six months of their leaving date